1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which functions as a printer for a computer or the like and as a facsimile apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thermal printers, LBPs (laser beam printers), etc. have been used as the recording sections of facsimile apparatuses. Thermal printers have a problem in that the recording paper used therein has rather poor properties in terms of imprinting and shelf life. LBPs have a problem in that they are rather large and costly. In view of these problems, a small, inexpensive printer has been developed whose recording section consists of an ink-jet type recording printer using ordinary paper.
Generally speaking, an ink-jet type printer has the following features:
It has a head in which several tens of ink discharge nozzles are arranged along a sub-scanning dimension at intervals according to the pixel pitch, and performs one band (line) of printing by ejecting ink while the head moves in a main scanning direction. It also moves the recording paper in the sub-scanning direction by a distance corresponding to one band. By repeating these operations, it forms one page of an image.
Printing is possible by both the forward and backward movements of the head. However, when an image extending over a plurality of bands is printed, an image misregistration between the bands may be caused for mechanical reasons. Such misregistration is more serious in reciprocative printing than in printing in the forward direction only (the one direction printing mode).
When printing an image output from a computer (bit image data), only the forward movement of the head is generally used for the printing in order to minimize such misregistration as mentioned above as much as possible.
Some ink-jet type printers have a draft mode which is used for draft printing (a printing mode for draft printing and temporary printing for checking the layout). This is a mode in which the pixels are thinned out in a zigzag fashion to economize ink and, at the same time, the head is moved at an increased speed for high-speed printing.
When employed as the printing section of a facsimile apparatus having a printer interface, such an ink-jet type printer is designed to be capable of being used in both draft mode printing and one direction printing. More specifically, printing mode setting keys are provided on the operation panel, enabling the user to select between the normal and draft modes by operating these keys. When output images from a computer (bit image data) are to be printed, only the forward movement of the head is used for printing in consideration of image quality.
However, in the above-described type of facsimile apparatus having a printer interface, it may happen that the apparatus performs a facsimile receiving operation after the user has set it to the draft mode. The received information will then be printed (recorded) in the draft mode, resulting in the received image being rather lightly printed or the finely printed portions being unintelligible.
Further, while output images from the computer can be adjusted to the printer capacity (e.g., 360 dpi), the resolution of received images of the facsimile apparatus is at a relatively low level of 8 dot/mm (203.2 dpi), so that the above-mentioned misregistration between the bands would not be so conspicuous if printing were effected through the reciprocative movement of the head. Despite this fact, it may happen that preference is given to the printing of computer output by selecting one direction printing, resulting in a reduction in printing speed. Since facsimile apparatuses of the ink-jet type are manufactured relatively inexpensively, their memory capacity is generally not very large. Thus, such a low printing speed is liable to lead to an overflow of received facsimile images.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus in which the above-mentioned problems have been eliminated.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which image data received in facsimile communications is prevented from being recorded in an undesired image formation mode.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which image data other than image data received in facsimile communications is prevented from being recorded in an undesired image formation mode.
To achieve the above objects, there is provided, in accordance with the present invention, an image forming apparatus of the type which has a plurality of image formation modes of different image qualities, wherein the image forming apparatus is equipped with: a recording section which can be used for image formation of both image data received in facsimile communications and other image data; and a switching means for switching between an image formation mode for recording image data received in facsimile communications and one for recording other image data.
Further, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus of the type which has a recording section that can be used for image formation of both image data received in facsimile communications and other image data, wherein recording of image data received in facsimile communications is possible even when the recording section is in a mode for image formation of other image data, the image forming apparatus being equipped with: a detection means for detecting that the recording section is performing image formation of image data other than image data received in facsimile communications; and a means for switching the recording section to a mode for image formation of image data received in facsimile communications so as to record such received image data when the detection means detects that the recording section is not operating in the mode for image formation of image data other than image data received in facsimile communications.
Still further, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus of the type which has a plurality of image formation modes of different image qualities and which has a recording section that can be used for image formation of both image data received in facsimile communications and other image data, wherein recording of image data received in facsimile communications is possible even when the recording section is in a mode for image formation of other image data, the image forming apparatus being equipped with: a detection means for detecting that the recording section is performing image formation of image data other than received image data in facsimile communications; and a switching means for switching the recording section to a mode for image formation of image data received in facsimile communications so as to record such received image data when the detection means detects that the recording section is not operating in the mode for image formation of other image data, the recording section being restored to the image formation mode for other image data after the completion of the recording of the image data received in facsimile communications.
In accordance with the present invention, the recording section has a plurality of image formation modes of different image qualities, whereby it is always possible to to perform image formation in an image formation mode that is most suitable for the matter to be printed.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus of the type which has a facsimile function by which it records image data received in facsimile communications and a printer function by which it records image data output from a host computer. The image forming apparatus comprises:
setting means for setting the apparatus to one of a plurality of printing modes;
recording means for recording image data;
reception means for receiving facsimile image data; and
control means for causing the setting means to set the apparatus to a specific printing mode when facsimile image data received by the reception means is to be recorded, independent of any printing mode in which the apparatus has previously been set by the setting means.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of printing modes include at least either a draft mode or a high-quality mode.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned recording means includes: a recording head equipped with a plurality of recording elements; and a movement means for performing a main scanning through a reciprocating movement of the recording head relative to a recording medium. The above-mentioned high-quality mode is a one-direction recording mode in which a main scanning is performed by moving the recording head in one direction of the above-mentioned reciprocating movement, and the above-mentioned specific mode is a two-direction (normal) recording mode in which the main scanning is performed by moving the recording head in both directions of the reciprocating movement. By a manual operation conducted by an operator and/or in response to a call from a line, the apparatus is switched from a printing to a facsimile mode, and, in response to the setting of the facsimile mode, a specific printing mode is set.
Thus, printing in a printing mode that is most suitable for the operation mode of the recording means is possible. That is, when the apparatus is to be used as a printer (i.e., in the printer mode), the user can select between the normal and draft modes, and image data, etc. can be printed with high quality by moving the recording head in the forward direction only (one-direction printing). When in the facsimile mode, the apparatus is set to the normal mode, in which high-speed printing is possible through reciprocative printing. Even if the user leaves the apparatus in the printer mode, images received in facsimile communications are not printed by one-direction printing but in the normal mode (printing mode).
Further, in accordance with the present invention, image data received in facsimile communications and other image data can both be prevented from being recorded in an undesired image formation mode.
According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the recording section ejects ink droplets through discharge nozzles by utilizing an ejection energy generated in correspondence with the image data to be recorded, thereby recording images on a recording medium.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the recording section causes changes in ink condition by utilizing heat energy, thereby ejecting ink droplets.
In still another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned recording section performs the main scanning by a reciprocating movement of the recording head, equipped with a plurality of recording elements, relative to the recording medium, and the above-mentioned plurality of image formation modes include a mode in which the main scanning is performed by moving the recording head in one direction of the reciprocating movement and a mode in which the main scanning is performed by moving the recording head in both directions of the reciprocating movement.
In a still further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned plurality of image formation modes include at least a mode in which image data is recorded in a thinned-out form.
Other objects, advantages and effects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, the drawings and the claims.